Palmer does not regret CIA claims

Nathan Paull

Mining magnate Clive Palmer does not regret saying the Greens were conspiring with the CIA against Australia's resources industry, because his comments served their purpose.

Mr Palmer told reporters in Brisbane today the claims he made last week provided enough distraction from the Queensland election campaign for negative aspects of the Liberal National Party to be overlooked.

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"It's wonderful that all of you could play a small role in having Campbell Newman elected as premier of Queensland, so well done, you all deserve a round of applause."

Asked if he had made up the claims, Mr Palmer told reporters he did not think the CIA was involved with the Greens or Greenpeace as he had previously suggested.

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"That's something I wouldn't say at this stage," he said.

"A mistake doesn't become an error until you refuse to correct it, so I'm still thinking about that one.

"But let me just say I don't regret having made that statement."

Mr Palmer launched the extraordinary attack on the Greens and environmentalists during a media conference last week, saying they were funded by the US spy agency to undermine Australia’s national economy.

A leaked plan by an Australian anti-coal group to thwart coal projects was proof, he said at the time.

Mr Palmer said the document showed the anti-coal group was funded by the US Rockefeller Foundation, an American philanthropic group he described as a conduit of the CIA and the US government.

He said on Monday it was clear Greenpeace was receiving funding from the foundation but did not suggest the CIA was behind it for political reasons.

‘‘Who can say where they (the foundation) get their funding from?’’ he said.

‘‘All we can say really is that ... (when they were) founded in 1974 that half of their funding came from the Central Intelligence Agency in the United States.

‘‘And I know that’s 40 years ago. It may not be the case now.’’

Mr Palmer’s claim made national headlines, prompting Queensland and federal politicians, including Ms Gillard and Mr Swan, to comment on its credibility.

Anti-coal seam gas activist Drew Hutton threatened to sue Mr Palmer after the billionaire referred to him as a ‘‘tool of the US government’’.

Mr Hutton said Mr Palmer owed him a public apology.

‘‘I was the one person he named quite explicitly and he refused to back away from the assertion that I was an CIA operative,’’ Mr Hutton said.

‘‘It’s a despicable thing to defame someone for political advantage.’’Mr Hutton said he would not pursue a defamation lawsuit.

‘‘It’s a stupid action on his part and I am more concerned about his mental health than I am about my own good name,’’ he said.

He feared Premier Campbell Newman would not have the ‘‘gumption’’ to stand up to Mr Palmer, the LNP’s biggest donor.